Training Measures and Gender Mainstreaming
Guidelines for the observance and verification of the gender perspective in training measures under the EU Structural Fund programmes
Zentrum Frau in Beruf und Technik, March 2001.
These guidelines are the combined results of a workshop in which the following experts participated: Dr. Karin Derichs-Kunstmann, FIAB, Recklinghausen; Nicole Grossart, AA Recklinghausen; Karin Linde, G.I.B., Bottrop; Conny Rieke, G.I.B., Bottrop; Sabine Rösler-Wildt, AA Gelsenkirchen; Gabriele Thiesbrummel, Fatz, Recklinghausen; Ingrid Tombrinck, Regionalsekretariat Kreis Recklinghausen; Bettina Vaupel,
Foreword
In order to achieve the objective of equal opportunities between the sexes, the European Union (EU) has introduced the method of gender mainstreaming. The different living conditions, situations and needs of men and women must be systematically observed and evaluated in all plans, policy areas, measures and activities within the context of the EU. This method is given practical relevance in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) by the commencement of a new funding phase in the EU Structural Fund programmes, i.e. equal opportunities are to be implemented as a horizontal task in the new programme phases.
One of the tasks of the Zentrum Frau in Beruf und Technik (Centre for Women in Employment and Technology) is to operationalise the ‘criteria for the implementation of horizontal equal opportunities’ within the framework of the NRW Objective 2 Programme. An initial focal point was the area of training. These guidelines are the preliminary result of intensive teamwork with experts from Objective 2 and Objective 3 backgrounds and training experts from NRW, in particular the Emscher-Lippe region (March 2001).
These guidelines in the form of a questionnaire are intended for decision-makers, consultants and organisations responsible for projects. They are intended as an aid for assessing and/or ensuring the observance of equal opportunities in the field of employment and structural policy training measures. The main focus is on training measures that are equally accessible to men and women.
Contents
I. Equal opportunities as the objective of the training measures within the framework of the EU Structural Fund programmes
II. Measure concept
1. Recruitment concept 2. Framework of measure 3. Teaching concept
4. Placement concept in labour market
III. Responsible organisation 1. Institutional framework
Questions Comments
I. Equal opportunities as the objective of the training measures within the framework of the EU Structural Fund programmes What direct contribution does the measure make to improving
equal opportunities?
e.g.:
• It qualifies participants for or integrates them into fields of work where it is possible to earn a living wage.
• It extends the range of careers for women in
male-dominated areas and for men in female-male-dominated areas. • It qualifies women for or involves them in future-proof
careers (incl. information and telecommunications sector) • It increases the proportion of female employees, managers
or company owners.
• Male and female employees are involved in equal measure in a company’s change processes.
• The business start-up climate is improved.
• Products, processes, in-house structures or networks are developed which benefit the promotion of equal
Questions Comments II. Measure concept
1. Recruitment concept
What is your target gender ratio? A measure is regarded as balanced if the gender ratio is between 40 % and 60 %.
In all other cases, special measures should be taken to boost the underrepresented gender.
The objectives should be realistic, e.g. for integrated labour market projects, experience shows that the proportion of women is, on average, well below 5%. A target female proportion of 10% or 20% would be sufficient here to satisfy the objective.
If you need empirical figures, ask the local players involved in labour market policy.
To what extent is there a gender-appropriate communication concept?
e.g.:
• Is gender-neutral language used in advertising texts? (A helpful text in this regard is Marlis Hellinger, Christine Bierbach (1993): Eine Sprache für beide Geschlechter. Richtlinien für einen nicht-sexistischen Sprachgebrauch. Deutsche Unesco-Kommission, Bonn – this can be downloaded free of charge from the UNESCO website
(www.unesco.org))
Questions Comments
Through what channels are participants recruited? • How are the employment agencies made aware of the desired gender ratio? Are the placement officers especially aware of requirements?
• If necessary, do you work with the regional ‘Frau und Beruf’ (Women and Work) offices in recruiting participants?
• Are the media selected on a gender basis?
2. Framework of measure
What is the time structure of the courses? Starting times If full-time If part-time Finishing times If full-time If part-time
Are self-study times/distance learning planned?
• Do the times of the courses allow men and women to
participate in equal measure? From experience, many women have a less flexible time budget than men.
• Does the time structure of the courses take account of this or is other support offered?
Is the training centre easy to reach by public transport?
Is special support offered to pregnant participants? e.g.
• Individualised study forms in order to allow successful continuation of the measure?
Questions Comments Is childcare support offered to participants? If yes, what kind?
To what extent does the place of study and the interior design meet the needs of the male and female participants?
e.g.:
• Avoidance of unsafe spaces, car parks well lit, absence of pornography
3. Teaching concept
To what extent do the general education parts of the course deal with gender-related aspects?
Further information on this is available from, among others, the Landesinstitut für Schule und Weiterbildung in Soest
(www.lsw.nrw.de) or the FIAB in Recklinghausen (
www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/fiab).
To what extent is the specialist content of the course dealt with on a gender-differentiated basis?
Further information on this is available from, among others, the Landesinstitut für Schule und Weiterbildung in Soest.
Are gender-typical consciousness and behaviour or gender- based perspectives and approaches taken into consideration?
e.g.:
• Different health awareness and behaviour of men and women • Gender-specific approach to technology, use of computers Do the trainees use gender-differentiated
training material?
e.g.:
• Gender-neutral or gender-differentiated wording, appropriate to the situation
Questions Comments To what extent are the course instructors gender-competent? e.g.:
• Relevant education or experience • Participation in gender training
• Experience from women’s/men’s projects Is social education support provided? How gender-competent is
it?
4. Placement concept in labour market
What measures are planned as part of the placement concept in order to find jobs for the group that is underrepresented on the labour market/in particular jobs?
e.g.:
• Special activation of placement service
• Special activation of advisors in the companies • Special canvassing of companies
Questions Comments III. Responsible organisation
1. Institutional framework
This point has been included in order to get an indication of whether the company that wishes to implement the measure is itself sensitised to equal opportunities concerns and, moreover, supports them credibly in every respect.
Are equal opportunities a guiding principle of the corporate culture? e.g.:
• Is the principle of gender equality applied in personnel development?
• Does the company have support plans for women? • Is gender mainstreaming a general principle in the
company?
• Does quality management include the gender perspective? How many permanent employees does the company have?
Total: Men Women Total part-time: Men Women
How many employees work on a freelance basis? Total:
Men Women
Does the responsible organisation provide further training events for the teaching staff which encourage and enable them to apply the gender perspective?
A possible contact in this regard is the Landesinstitut für Schule und Weiterbildung in Soest (www.lsw.nrw.de). The Zentrum Frau in Beruf und Technik (www.zfbt.de) can help find gender trainers with relevant experience.
2. Previous experience of responsible organisation What was the gender ratio in previous measures? Do you differentiate between short and long-term measures?
Does the responsible organisation have experience of female and/or male-specific measures?
How high were the placement rates for men? How high for women?
